Typewriting machine



Jan. 12, 1932. A, F, L AR 1,840,837

' TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1927 Affamey Patented Jan. 12, 1932 UNITED- STATES IPA-TENT [OFFICE Anrmm r. LEAR, onnnooxmm, NEW Yoax, asassieuon. 'ro urmmwoon ELLIOTT FISHER COMPANY,

NEW voax, mm. A CORPORATION or DELAWARE 'rzmwnirme MACHINE Application flied August. 2, Serial No. 210,044.

This invention relates to feed-rolh'release mechanism for small typewriting machines.

It is shown as being applied to an Underwood portable typewriter, simplifying operation of the feed-rolls, when insertlng work-sheets. The Underwood-machine is, similarly to other types, provided with feed-rolls at the lower part of the platen and feed-rolls 'at the upper part thereof. 'A set of upper feed-rolls is mounted upon the cross-rod of a bail extendin longitudinally ofthe platen to be pivote fontheplatenframe, thus allowing said upper feed-rolls to be swung clear of the platen.

A usual apron or paper-guide back ofthe platen, and encircling the lower part thereof, is pivoted upon the laten-frame and carlies the usual lower eed-rolls. Due to'the pivotal connection and by means of a preferred hand-operated cam-mechanism, the apron may be slightly tilted so as to disengage or engage the lower feed-rolls with the platen.

A feature of the inventlon 1s to provlde a connection between the two feed-roll mechanisms so as to' enable them to be operated as a unit in order to minimize time and labor required in inserting a-nd'positioning .worksheets, an operation which otherwise has been retarded and discomfoited, due to the operators liability to neglect releasin the upper feed-rolls after having release the lower set or vice versa, and which also has entailed scramblin or injuring of thepaper.

A connecting lin to serve the above-mentioned purpose is provided between'the two feed-roll mechanisms, and is mounted by a slot-connection in such a way as to allow the bail,'which carries the upper feed-rolls,- to be operated independently of the lower feedrolls, but, on the other hand, also allows all the feed-rolls to be engaged or disengaged as a unit.

Independent operation of the upper feedrolls is essential when a single sheet is to be written, which. usually is inserted and aligned with the lower set of feed-rolls being engaged with the platen.

Another feature relates to improvements on the cam-mechanism which effects the with the objectof' loweiffeed-roll -release and which is made adaptable for connection with the upper teed-roll mechanism.

Other features and advantages ina-fter appear. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a" fractional perspective view, showing the right-hand side of the platen and platen-frame with the upper and lower will herefeed-roll mechanisms in effective positionand the novel linkage attached thereto. Figure 2 is a plan view taken upon Figure 1 and partly in section to disclose details of the feed-roll mechanisms and .the novel linkage. V

Figure 3 shows in elevation the detail of the hand-operated lower feed-roll-release mechanism having-novel constructional features.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional elevation of the platen and shows the upper feed-rolls as being thrown out of engagement and the lower'feed-rolls as being engaged, whereby the feed-roll-release lever rests upon its rearward stop.

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 and shows the lower and upper feed-rolls as being disengaged. p Figure 6 likewise shows the upper and the lower feed-rolls in engagement.

The underwood portable typewriter, herein illustrated, has a platen 10 provided'with a shaft 11 which is ournaled in side plates 12 of a usual-platen-frame, and is provided with a right-hand platen-knob 13, while a type-bar 14 indicates the printing line upon t e platen. The platen-frame lncludes a base-plate 15 connecting the side plates 12 which are stiffened by the-tie-rod 16. p In order to conduct the paper around the platen, there is provided a work-sheet-guide or apron 17 embracing the lower part of the platen and carrying longitudinally thereof the usual lower feed-rolls 18 and 19, rotatably mounted in curled tongues 20 stamped out of said apron 17.

An extension 21 usually has graduated thereon the conventional scale (not shown) and is flanged to the lower end of the apron between the flanges so as to provide a guiding slot to receive the lower extensions of the usual paper-fingers 22, which are mounted to slidably ride upon the upper edge of said extension 21 by means of onset tongues 23 integrally provided on said paper-fingers.

The apron 17 is pivoted at either side upon the platen-carriage b means of pivots 24 and thus may be slig tly tilted as a whole for engaging or disengaging the lower feedrolls 18 and 19 journaled in said apron, and also for moving the attached paper-fingers 22 towards and away from the platen. The lower feed-rolls are normally tensioned upon the platen by a spring 25 acting upon the lower part of the apron (see Figure 5), and may be released by a feed-roll-release mechanism bearing novel features and including a shaft 26 in back of the upper part of said apron 17 and which is journaled in the side plates 12 of the platen-frame. The middle portion of the shaft has brazed, or otherwise fixed, thereon, an arm 27 carrying a camroller ,28 and also mounted thereon a righthand feed-roll-release lever 29. The lever may be operated so as to cause the cam-roller to operatlvely engage the upper part of the apron against the tension of spring 25 for disengaging the lower feed-rolls.

The feed-roll-release lever, as detailed in Figure 3, is struck as a whole from a sin le piece of sheet-metal and formed with a i1n ger-piece 30 and a slot 31 for connection with an upper feed-roll mechanism, as hereinafter specified, and its attachment to the shaft 26 is secured by a U-bend 32, as shown, which is to provide suflicient surface to bear upon the shaft, and is equally designed to receive a set-screw 33 for conveniently fixing the lever in proper position upon said shaft.

The cam-mechanism, arranged in a novel way, is removed from crowded parts of the machine, and, over prior constructions, is rendered accessible, rigid, simple and comact.

p Upper feed-rolls 34 and 35 are rotatably mounted upon a rod 36 which is rigidly connected with an arm 37 at either end to form a bail, indicated by the numeral 38, said arms being pivoted to the side plates of the platen-frame at 39 so as to allow the upper feed-rolls to be swung clear of the platen.

Either arm 37 of the bail is provided with an over-center spring 40 to keep the bail resiliently in tension upon the platen, as shown in Figure 6, or in position when out of function, as shown in Figure 4. Each arm has associated therewith a switch-lever 41 which is pivoted at 42 to the side plates 12, and

which has a bifurcated end 43 to co-operatewith a tongue 44, forming a lower extension of said arm 37. The opposite end of said switch-lever has a tab 45, which carries secured thereto one end of the over-center spring 40, the other end being secured to a pin 46 fixed upon said arm 37. A stop-pin 46 for the switch-lever 41 serves to limit the disengagin throw of the bail. The arrangement has een used to increase the overthrow of the over-center spring 40 and its efliciency in detaining the bail 38, which effect appears from the consideration that the switch lever is caused to swing in a direction opposite to the bail-arm 37.

lhe invention provides a straight link 47,v

shown at the right-hand side of the machine, to connect both feed-roll mechanisms for the purpose of joint operation. Said link is forwardly pivoted at 48 to the arm 37 of the bail 38 and rearwardly by means of a collared screw 49 mounted to work within the abovementioned slot 31 of the feed-roll-release lever 29 which controls the lower feed-rolls. By so connecting the two feed-roll mechanisms, a kind of parallel link-system'working in a plane at right angles to the platen-axis is established, Which, however, due to the rearward slot-connection of the link, allows the upper feed-rolls to be released independently by swinging the bail away from the platen, as shown in Figure 4, while the feedroll-release lever, resting upon the tie-rod 16 as a stop, remains in its ineffective position.

This feature of partial independency of the bail is important and is desired when a single sheet 49 is to be written, which usually is inserted and aligned with the aid of the lower feed-rolls 18 and 19 while the upper feed-rolls 34 and 35 are to be disengaged from the platen (see Figure 4) to clear the way for the leading edge of the paper. After this single sheet is positioned, the bail is restored to effective position, as shown in Figure 6.

It will be noted that the rear end of the novel link is provided with a bent-over tab 50 which engages the outer edge 51 of the slotted part of the feed-roll-release lever 29. This tab is necessary to hold the rear end of the link in proper working condition within the slot, and its function will appear more clearly from Figure 5, where a composite ack 52 of work-sheets and carbon-sheets is s own as being inserted. The upper as well as the lower feed-rolls are then to be released, which may be unitedly effected by throwing the feed-roll-release lever 29 from its Figure 6 position into its Figure 5 position. The slot 31 on the lever is then turned from horizontal into vertical, and the rear end of the novel link properly retained, as shown, in the upper corner of said slot by means of the aforementioned tab 50, which also may serve as a forward stop for the lever 29, when the system has reached its proper 'a'ngular position.

When insertin worksheets and carbonsheets in the machine, it willoccur that the hand which lifts the feed-roll-release lever is concomitantly reaching to operate the adjacent platen-knob 13 to position the paper.

When the ack is in place, however, the feedrolls may e restored to working position by simply pushing the bail 38 back onto the platen and, due to the bail being linked up with the feed-roll-release lever 29 (see Figure 6), all the feed-rolls will be engaged simultaneously. e

This ready movement in engeging the feed-rolls by simply handling the ail, which extends the entire length of the platen-frame, is apt to avoid repeated reaching for the usually small feed-roll-release handle as provided on portable typewriters, and therefore conduces to speed and convenience. There is,however, an additional handle or finger-piece 53 provided upon the novel link, which may serve for independently operating the bail or for unitedly restoring the feed-rolls.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of upper and lower rolls mounted to press separately .upon the platen, a constantly-connected train permanently connecting all of said rolls and including a feed-roll lever to release all of said rolls together and further including a member loosely connected to said lever to allow independent release of the upper roll, while said lever remains in ineflective position, and a roll-detaining device mounted for movement with the roll-connecting means,'to hold the upper roll in released position while the lower roll remains in normal position against the platen.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of upper and lower rolls mounted to press separately upon the platen, a constantly-connected train permanently connecting all of said rolls and including a feed-roll lever to release all of said rolls together and further including a member having a finger-piece and loosely connected to said lever to allow independent'release of the upper roll by the finger-piece while said lever remains in ineffective position, and a roll-detaining device mounted for movement with the roll-connecting means, to hold the upper roll in released position while the lower roll remains in normal position against the platen. 7

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platent, of upper and lower rolls mounted to press separately upon the platen, a constantly-connected train permanently connecting all of said rolls and including a feed-roll lever to release all of said rolls together and further including a member having a finger-piece and operable independently of said lever to allow independent release of the upper roll by the finger-piece while said lever remains in ineffective position, and a roll-detaining device mounted for movement with the roll-connecting means to hold the upper roll in released position while the release lever remains ineffective and the lower roll remains in normal position against the.

platen.

4. In a typewriting machine including a platent having a shaft, and a platen-frame aving side-plates to carry said platen-shaft journaled therein, the combination with a set of feed-rolls normally engaged with the lower part of the platen to feed a work-sheet around the platen, said feed-rolls rotatably mounted in a carrier which in turn is mounted upon the platen-frame for rocking movement in a plane a t-right angles to the platenaxis, so that the feed-rolls may be released or engaged with the platen, of a cam-mechanism to operate said feed-roll-carrier as required and including a shaft journaled inthe side-plates of the platen-frame and carrying midway thereon a cam-member to operatively engage said feed-roll-carrier for feed roll-release and engagement when the shaft is rocked by a hand-operated lever secured upon said shaft, the lever being struck out of flat material, its top forming a fingerpiece, its bottom part being sidewardly bent over to form a channel, which, when trans versely drilled to fit the shaft, provides proper means to seat the flat lever upon the shaft, the bottom of said channel being used to receive a set-screw to fix the lever upon said shaft.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of upper and lower rolls mounted to press separately upon the platen, means permanently connecting said rolls and including a feed-roll lever to operate said means to release and to restore said rolls together and further including a member loosely connected to the lever to allow independent release of the upper roll, and a duel-acting roll-detaining device mounted for movement with said roll-connecting means to aid the later to release the rolls and to restore the same to their normal positions against the platen, said detaining device including a floatingly-mounted spring and a switch-lever connected to the spring.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of upper and lower rolls mounted to press separately upon the platen, means permanently connecting said rolls and including a feed-roll lever to operate said means to release and to restore saidrolls together and further including a member loosely connected to the lever to allow independ-' ent release of the upper roll, and a dual-acting roll-detaining device mounted for movement with said roll-connecting means to aid the latter to release the rolls and to restore the 7 same to theirnormal positions against the platen, said detaining device including a 'double acting spring and 'a switch-lever loosel connected to the spring;

7. n a typewritin machine including a platen having a shaft, 9. platen-frame having side-plates to carry said platen-shaft journaled therein and 'a set of feed-rolls to co-operate with the lower end of the platen and normally engaged to feed work around the laten and as a whole being releasable by a sultable mechanism, the combination with a hand-operated lever to actuate said feed-roll release-mechanism and normally operating in a plane at right angles to the platen-axis and adjacent to one of the side-plates of the platen-frame, and a set of upper feed-rolls to aid in paper-feeding rotatably mounted upon a bail or swing-frame extending the distance between said side-plates of the platen-frame and pivoted thereto so that by swinging the hail, the upper feed-rolls may be cleared of the platen, of a link loosely connecting said lever which governs the release of the lower feed-rolls with the adjacent side member of the bail, said side member operating in substantially the same plane as the lever, whereby the forward end of the link is pivoted to said side member while its rearward end is mounted to work in a slot provided on said lever, the arrangement of the slot being such that the forward throw of the lever causing the release of the lower feed-rolls will simultaneously throw forwardly the bail, releasing the upper feed-rolls, the rear end of the link then being kept in engagement with the rearward end of the slot, while for independent release of the upper feedrolls when exclusive use of the lower feedrolls is required, the bail may be thrown forwardly away from the platen, the rearward end of the link then being drawn forwardly within said slot to engage the forward end thereof as a stop.

8. In a typewriting machine including a platen having a shaft, a platen-frame havmg side-plates to carry said platen-shaft journaled therein, and a set of feed-rolls toco-operate with the lower ends of the platen and normally engaged to feed work around the platen and as a whole being releasable by a su table mechanism, the combination with a hand-operated lever to actuate said feed roll release-mechanism and normally operating in a plane at right angles to the platenaxis and adjacent to one of the side-plates of the platen-frame, and a set of upper feedrolls to aid in paper-feeding rotatably mounted upon a bail or swing-frame extending the distance between said side-plates of the platen-frame and pivoted thereto so that by swinging the bail, the upper feed-rolls may be cleared of the platen, of a link loosely connecting said lever which governs the release of the lower feed-rolls with the adjacent side member of the bail, said side member operating in substantially the same plane as the lever, whereby the forward end of the link is pivoted to said side member while its rearward end is mounted to work in a slot provided on said lever, the arrangement of the slot being such that the forward throw of the lever causing the release of the lowerfeedrolls will simultaneously throw forwardly the bail, releasing the upper feed-rolls, the rear end of the link then being ke t in engagement with the rearward end 0 the slot, while for independent release of the upper feed-rolls when exclusive use of the lower feed-rolls is required, the bail may be thrown forwardl away from the platen, the rearward end of the link then being drawn forwardly within said slot to engage the forward end thereof as a stop, and means to limit the throw of said lever.

9. In a typewriting machine including a platen having a shaft, a laten-frame having side-plates to carry sai platen-shaft journaled therein, and a set of feed-rolls to cooperate with the lower end of the platen and normally engaged to feed work around the platen and as a whole being releasable by a suitable mechanism, the combination with a hand-operated lever to actuate said feedroll release-mechanism and normally operating in a plane at right angles to the platenaxis and adjacent to one of the side-plates of the platen-frame, and a set of upper feedrolls to aid in paper-feeding'rotatably mounted upon a bail or swing-frame extending the distance between said side-plates of the platen-frame and pivoted thereto so that by swinging the bail, the upper feed-rolls may be cleared of the platen, of a link loosely connecting said lever which governs the release of the lower feed-rolls with the adjacent side member of the bail, said side member operating in substantially the same plane as the lever, whereby the forward'end of the link is pivoted to said side member while its rearward end is mounted to work in a slot provided on said lever, the arrangement of the slot being such that the forward throw of the lever causing the release of the lower feedrolls will simultaneously throw forwardly the bail, releasing the upper feed-rolls, the rear end of the link then being kept in engagement with the rearward end of the slot, while for independent release of the upper feed-rolls when exclusive use of the lower feed-rolls is required, the bail may be thrown forwardly away from the platen,the rearward end of the link then being drawn forwardly within said slot to engage the forward end thereof as a stop, and means to limit the throw of the lever, the rearward limit being established with an abutment provided upon the platen-frame, the forward limit with a pro ection provided upon the rear end of the link to engage the lever when the link-system has reached its proper angular position.

. 10. In a typewriting machine including a platen having a shaft, a platen-frame having side-plates to carry said laten-shaft journaled therein, and a set of eed-rolls to Eco-operate with the lower end of the platen and normally engaged to feed work around the platen and as a whole being releasable by a suitable mechanism, the combination wit a hand-operated lever to actuate said feedroll release-mechanism and normally operating in a plane at right angles to the platenax1s and adj acent'to one of the side-plates of the platen-frame, and aset of upper feedrolls to aid in paper-feeding rotatably mounted upon a bail or swing-frame extending the necting said lever which governs the release of the lower feed-rolls with the adjacent side member of the bail, said side member operating in substantially the same plane as the lever, whereby the forward end of the link is pivoted to said side member while its rearward end is mounted to work in a slot provided on said lever, the arrangement of the slot being such that the forward throw of the lever causing the release of the lower feedrolls will simultaneously throw forwardly the bail, releasing the upper feed-rolls, the rear end of the link then being kept in engagement with the rearward end of the slot, while for independent release of the upper feed-rolls when exclusive use of the lower feed-rolls is required, the bail may be thrown forwardly away from the platen, the rearward end of the link then being drawn forwardly within said slot to engage the forward end thereof as a stop, and means to hold the rearward end of said link in proper operating position within said slot as the lever is operated within its shift-limits, said means including'a tab struck from the rear end of said link and formed so as to operatively engage the outside edge of the slotted part of the lever. said outside edge along its eflt'ective plart conforming to the inside contour of the s ot.

0 11. In a typewriting machine including a platen having a shaft, a platen-frame having side-plates to carry said platen-shaft journaled therein, and a set of feed-rolls to co- F operate with the lower end of the platen and normally engaged to' feed work around the platen and as a whole being releasable by a suitable mechanism, the combination with a hand-operated lever to actuate said feed-roll release-mechanism and normally operating 0 in a plane at right angles to the platen-axis and adjacent to one of the side-plates of. the platen-frame, and a set of upper feed-rolls to aid in paper-feeding rotatably mounted upon a bail or swing-frame extending the 5 distance between said side-plates of the platen-frame and pivoted thereto so that by swinging the bail, the upper feed-rolls may be cleared of the platen, of a link loosely connectin said lever whlch governs the release of t e lower feed-rolls with the adjacent side member of the bail, said side member operating in substantially the same plane as the lever, whereby the forward end of the link is pivoted to said side member while its rearward end is-mounted to work in a slot provided on said lever, the arrangement of f the slot being such that the forward throw of the lever causing the release of the lower feed-rolls will simultaneously throw forwardly the bail, releasing the upper feed- 4 I rolls, the rear end of the link then being kept in engagement with the rearward end of the slot, while for independent release of the up per feed-rolls when exclusive use of the lower feed-rolls is required, the bail may be thrown forwardly away from the platen,'the rearward end of the link then being drawn forwardly within said slot to engage the forward end thereof as a stop, and means to hold the rear end of said link in proper operating position within said slot, said means including a tab struck from the rear end of the link to engage the outside edge of the slot part of the lever as a guide, said tab equally used and arranged to limit the forward throw of the lever by abutting the same when the proper angular position of the linkssystem is reached.

12. In a typewriting machine including a platen having a shaft, a platen-frame having side-plates to carry said platen-shaftjournaled therein, and a set of feed-rolls to cooperate with the lower end of the platen and normally engaged to feed work around the platen and as a whole being releasable by a suitable mechanism, the combination with a hand-operated lever to actuate said feed-roll release-mechanism and normally operating in a plane at right angles to the platen-axis and adjacent to one of the side-plates of the platen-frame, and a set of upper feed-rolls to aid in paper-feedin rotatably mounted upon a bail or swingrame extending the distance between said side-plates of the platen-frame and pivoted thereto so that by swinging the hail, the up r feed-rolls may be cleared of the platen, o a link loosely connecting said lever which governs the release of the lower feed-rolls with the adjacent side member of the bail, said link forwardly being pivoted to said side member and rearwardly mounted to work in a slot rovided on said lever so that both feed-r01 -systems may be released as a unit as well as the upper system, due to the slot-connection being released independently, and means to automatically secure the rear end of the lever for pivotal engagement in the rear end of said slot when the leveris being thrown forwardly for general feed-roll-release,

i 13. In a typewriting machine includin a platen having a shaft, a platen-frame havlng side-plates to carry said platen-shaft journaled therein, and a set of feed-rolls to cooperate with the lower end of the platen and normally engaged to feed work around the platen and as a whole being releasable by a suitable mechanism, the combination with a hand-operated lever to actuate said feedroll release-mechanism and normally operating in a plane at right angles to the platenaxis and adjacent to one of the side-plates of the platen-frame, and a set of upper feedrolls to aid in paper-feeding rotatably mounted upon a bail or swing-frame extending the distance between said side-plates of the platen-frame and pivoted thereto so that by swinging the bail, the upper feedrolls may be cleared of the platen, of a link loosely connecting said lever which governs the release of the lower feed-rolls with the adjacent side member of the bail, said link forwardly being pivoted to said side member and rearwardly mounted to work in a slot provided on said lever so that both feed-rollsystems may be released as a unit as well as the upper system, due to the slot-connection being released independently, and means to automatically secure the" rear end of the lever for pivoted engagement in the rear end of said slot when the lever is being thrown forwardly for general feed-roll-release, said means providing for a disengaging throw of the lever such as to place the slot from substantially horizontal into substantially vertical with the rear end of the link being kept in pivotal engagement as required in the first rearwardly and then upwardly pointing'end of said slot by means of a tab provided upon said rear end and engaging the outer contour of said slotted part of the lever.

ARTHUR F. LEAR. 

